.Biography:
A member of Ireland's first international line-up, John Hastings would later captain the team on two occasions. In seven internationals he never finished on the winning side. His fourth appearance for Ireland was in the first ever British Championship match in which Scotland defeated Ireland 5-0 in Belfast on 26th January 1884...
Having spent two seasons with Knock FC during which time he won his first two caps, Hastings re-joined the club where he had first played football, Ulster FC for the 1882/83 season. He helped them to that season's Irish Cup Final, where they lost 5-0 to Cliftonville at Bloomfield. Four years later the two clubs again met in the show-piece final, and revenge was gained as Ulster claimed a 3-1 victory at Distillery.

Noted as a “good tackler... very fast” who played “consistently through the game ... never [seeming] to flag”, Hastings also gave “the ball well to his forwards”. On the 3rd May 1884 he was given the honour of Umpiring the Charity Cup Final between Cliftonville and Distillery.